(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for switching an optical input into a plurality of outputs and an apparatus for performing such switching. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for switching an optical input into a plurality of outputs by means of a laser activated amplifier without requiring a conversion from an optical signal into an electrical signal.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There exist numerous methodologies whereby optical signals may be switched from one fiber to another without first converting to an electronic signal and then back to an optical signal. Most of these methods involve some change in the medium to bend the light beam and achieve a physical switching of the input beam into two or more output beams. Some of the methods used include micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), liquid crystals, tiny ink-jet bubbles, thermo-optical switches, tunable lasers, or using sound waves. As a result of requiring a change in the propagating medium to achieve switching, most of these switching methods have relatively slow switching speeds, e.g., on the order of 100 Hz.
What is needed is a methodology for switching an optical input into a plurality of outputs that does not depend upon the implementation of a change in medium giving rise to unacceptably slow switching speeds.